“This isn’t the time for big dreams or jokes,” he said, clearly tempering expectations. “The goal is simply to be on the start line for La Vuelta. Nothing more than that. My plan here is to see how I’m feeling, find some rhythm, and start putting my last race behind me.”
Despite the cautious tone, Landa looked sharper than expected in the Burgos opener, finishing 13th and almost making the split on the punchy ascent to the Alto del Castillo. On Thursday he returns to more familiar terrain as the race tackles the mountains of Álava, including the climb to Orduña — practically home roads for Landa.
But while his comments on his own condition were pragmatic, Landa didn’t hesitate when asked who he sees as the favourite for this year’s Vuelta a Espana. The answer came quickly. “Jonas Vingegaard,” he nodded. “He had a great Tour, even though he came up against Pogacar at his very best. I still think he performed at a really high level, so yes, he’ll start La Vuelta as the favourite.”Vingegaard ultimately finished second at the 2025 Tour de France, 4:24 behind Tadej Pogacar on GC, though the gap belied how evenly matched the two looked for most of the race. A couple of off-days cost the Dane dearly, but his form remains unquestionable — particularly with an eye toward Spain, where his ability to recover and peak again after the Tour has been proven.
Evenepoel and Landa has proven a strong double-act when racing together over the last couple of years
A shifting hierarchy at Quick-Step
Evenepoel’s long-anticipated transfer to Red Bull – BORA -hansgrohe was finally confirmed earlier this week, ending what has arguably been the most drawn-out transfer saga in recent cycling history. The Belgian, long seen as the face of Soudal – Quick-Step, will leave before the end of his contract for a team with deeper financial backing and grander long-term ambitions.
It leaves Quick-Step in a state of flux, and potentially opens the door for experienced riders like Landa to step into more prominent roles — at least temporarily. But if he has such ambitions, Landa is keeping them close to his chest. “At the moment I’m full of doubts,” he said, candidly. “I want to see how my back holds up, how my legs respond. I’m just taking it day by day.”
It’s a familiar sentiment from Landa, who has built a cult following around moments of brilliance interspersed with injury setbacks and tactical misfortune. Still, in a post-Evenepoel landscape, Quick-Step may need to lean on that experience more than ever — particularly if he makes it to the Vuelta start line with decent legs. Until then, the Basque veteran is keeping it simple: rebuild, race, and let the legs do the talking.